You Found Me
by HawtPoTaytoTott
Summary: Stephanie Parker shows up on the Fenton's doorstep one morning, saying she ran away from home. Danny soon discovers he knows this girl and she knows him. But what happens when a certain ghost wants to take her back as his own? Rated T just in case!
1. Prologue: The Runaway Girl

I do not own Danny Phantom or any related characters. They belong to Butch Hartman and Butch Hartman alone! Though I wish I owned Danny . . .

**Prologue: The Runaway Girl**

A blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl ran down the lonely streets of Amity Park, the moon her only light to guide her way. She wasn't going to stop running for anything, not even to catch her breath. In fear, the girl glanced over her shoulder, discovering a red-eyed caped menace flying after her. The girl pumped her long legs though they were giving out due to the distance she had run. 

"Come back here, girl! I'm not finished with you yet!" the venomous voice of the menace snarled. The young fourteen-year-old girl glared at him as she continued to sprint and stuck her tongue out teasingly.

"Why don't you come and get me yourself!" she taunted, grinning and switching her focus to the street before her. The man behind her became frustrated at her response and charged up a pink-colored plasma beam in both hands. Without a warning, he shot the beam and laughing evilly, watched as the beam hit the girl directly in the back, causing her to fall heavily to the concrete and knocking her out instantly. The man examined her carefully and assumed that she'd die on the sidewalk anyway. No one was going to help an injured teenager on the side of the road. The man smiled, revealing his vampire fangs, before soaring away and leaving the girl behind…though he didn't realize that he had left her on the steps of Fenton Works…


	2. Chapter 1: Discovery

**Chapter 1: Discovery**

Fourteen-year-old Danny Fenton awoke as his alarm clock chimed beside him. Sleepily, he slammed his fist on it, shutting it off immediately. Danny yawned and stretched lazily. It was Friday morning, the last school day of the week and tonight, he was just going to hang with his Goth friend, Sam Manson and techno geek pal, Tucker Foley. Nothing could spoil this day now – except Mr. Lancer's test – but other than that, it was going to be a fun night. Deciding to skip breakfast, Danny grabbed his backpack and headed for the door.

"Have a good day at school, sweetie!" Danny's mom, Maddie Fenton, called from the kitchen.

"Mom, it's going to be like any other day at school: lame and boring!" Danny replied, swinging open the front door. He instantly froze. Right there, lying on the ground face- down was a blonde girl that looked about his age. "Oh my gosh," Danny murmured as he hurried to the unconscious teen. He knelt beside her and turned her over gently. Her cunning beauty stunned Danny: clear complexion, gorgeous blonde hair, and even if her face was somewhat scratched, it was beautiful just the same. She wore jean overalls with a faded pink T-shirt underneath. On her feet were pink sneakers and on her wrist was a black watch.

"No, Dad! I will NOT be a lab rat for your new ghost invention!" Danny's older sister, Jazz, cried in the doorway. She turned only to find her brother on the ground with a girl in his arms. "Danny, who is that? What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything! I opened the door and found this girl…right here!" Danny answered angrily.

"Well, don't just sit there! Bring her inside!"

Danny scowled at his sister, sick of being bossed around by her, but he obeyed anyway. Picking up the strange girl, Danny brought her inside and quickly placed her on the living room couch while Jazz went to get their mother. He stared at the girl until his mother and sister came running in.

"Oh my! Where did you find her?" Maddie asked worriedly, feeling the young girl's forehead.

"Right outside. She was unconscious when I found her," Danny explained. Jazz grabbed Danny's arm and tugged on him.

"Come on, Danny. I'll drive you to school," Jazz offered, grinning reassuringly at her brother, for she could sense that he was concerned with the new girl and her condition. Danny, with one last glance at the pretty face of the girl, left with Jazz. He didn't know how he'd concentrate on Lancer's test now.

Well, that's chapter one. I know, it's not long, but it wasn't supposed to be. Danny was only supposed to find the girl on his front steps and begin it from there. I'll try to write the next chappy soon!


	3. Chapter 2: I'm Stephanie

**Chapter 2: I'm Stephanie**

_Stephanie felt lost as she continued to plunge into complete darkness, knowing that the man was following her. Tears were dripping down her cheeks and her breathing was becoming heavy. Her heart was pounding against her chest, not because of her running, but because of the fear she contained. Finally, Stephanie tripped and fell to the ground, scratching her knees and elbows painfully. A dark shadow loomed over her, its eyes burning a hateful red. Its black hand reached for her._

"No…"

_Stephanie tried to scream, but nothing came out. She attempted to crawl away from the towering figure. __The ground beneath her moved, but she herself did not and the shadow drew nearer and nearer to her. _

"No, no…" 

_Once again, the shadow extended its hand, growing larger as it got closer to Stephanie. Stephanie's eyes grew wide with terror as the hand snatched her from the ground and began pulling her in… _

"NO!" 

Stephanie shot up from her sleep and looked around, her breathing slow and unsteady. She only found a normal house with pictures on the wall, furniture, and books. Everything was original and simple, no darkness, no shadows, nothing. It had only been a terrible nightmare. Stephanie sighed with immense relief and glanced at her watch. 

"2:45. How long have I been here?" Stephanie wondered out loud. She heard footsteps and she whipped around. A woman with short red hair, violet eyes, and a blue haz-mad suit stood in the doorway of the kitchen. 

"Oh, you're awake! That's wonderful!" the woman cried with delight, approaching Stephanie, "Are you hungry at all?" 

Stephanie, unsure at this point as to where she was, nodded in uncertainty. 

"Alright then. I'll go fix you a sandwich. Is peanut butter and jelly okay for you?" 

Again, Stephanie nodded and watched as the woman disappeared into the kitchen. _How did I get here? What is this place? What happened? _she wondered. She was calming down a bit, but she was still shaken up from the dream. The shadow had been her uncle, she knew that much. Everything else about the dream didn't make sense. 

Before Stephanie could think more about the situation, the kind woman returned with a tasty-looking sandwich. Stephanie hadn't eaten since the other day and even though PB and J wasn't her favorite, it looked absolutely appetizing now. She hesitantly took the plate from the woman and began eating. 

"So, sweetie, what's your name?" the woman asked sweetly. Stephanie swallowed the mouthful of sandwich she had in her mouth. 

"I'm Stephanie," Stephanie answered politely, "Who are you?" 

"I'm Maddie Fenton, but you can call me Mrs. Fenton," Maddie replied with a smile. 

"Hi, Mrs. Fenton. Um, if you don't mind my asking, how did I end up here?" 

Maddie sighed. "My son, Danny, found you right outside our door early this morning. You were unconscious and had minor injury when he brought you inside," she explained. Stephanie furrowed her eyebrows in thought. 

_How'd that happen? I remember my uncle chasing me into this town and I heard him laughing. Then it all went blank. What did he do to me? _

The sound of voices outside caught Stephanie's attention. The front door swung open and two teens, a boy and a girl, walked through the door. The girl had long red hair with a turquoise headband, blue eyes, a black shirt, and turquoise Capri's. The boy had messy black hair with blue eyes, a red and white T-shirt, dark jean pants, and red sneakers. Stephanie squinted at the boy. _That must be Danny,_ she thought with a small smile. 

"Hi, Jazz! Hi, Danny! How was school?" Maddie asked kindly. Jazz grinned. 

"Good as ever, Mom!" Jazz responded. She paused when she noticed Stephanie on the couch. "She's awake?" Jazz walked over and held out her hand. Stephanie took it and shook hands with the girl. "Hi, I'm Jazmine, but you can call me Jazz." She turned to her brother. "Danny, look who's awake! Come say hi!" 

Danny sighed and trudged over reluctantly. When he saw Stephanie, he brightened up a little. "Glad to see you're doing okay. I'm Danny," he said. Stephanie smiled. 

"Hi, Jazz. Danny. I'm Stephanie," Stephanie remarked. _I'm liking this family already. They seem really nice,_ she thought to herself. Then, she froze. She studied Danny carefully, his face particularly. _I've seen this boy before. But where? I know that face from somewhere… _


	4. Chapter 3: Realization

**Chapter 3: Realization**

Stephanie continued to stare at Danny with wonder. _The face, the hair, the eyes…I recognize them from somewhere. I don't know where though_, she thought.

Danny noticed how Stephanie gazed at him curiously through her beautiful blue eyes and he realized at once that she was hiding something from him. Just the way she looked at him told him that she had something that she was keeping from him. Just then, Danny gasped and a blue mist escaped from his mouth. He didn't even notice the purple mist that slithered from Stephanie's mouth.

"Uh…I need to go do my homework!" Danny exclaimed, sprinting off. Stephanie stood.

"And I need to…go to the bathroom!" Stephanie cried. She slipped on her sneakers and ran to the bathroom hurriedly, leaving Jazz and Maddie behind to wonder. Stephanie sighed with relief, and then began to concentrate. A purple ring appeared at her waist and separated from there. The ring that went up transformed her T-shirt into a black and silver belly shirt, her blonde hair into white, her blue eyes into a ghostly green, and her arms were covered over with silver elbow-long gloves. The ring that went down morphed her overall bottoms into black lab suit pants, her sneakers into silver boots, and a silver belt appeared at her hips. Stephanie grinned. "Oh, yeah. I'm ready for action…bring it on." She turned herself intangible and soared out of the roof.

Stephanie laughed happily with delight as the warm summer breeze tickled her face and played with her long white hair. It had been a long while since she last became her ghost half. Her parents never let her do it around them or in public and when something went wrong, she'd get in trouble. Then, Stephanie's powers were not in control. But now, after years of practice, she had mastered and equipped all different kinds of unusual, yet amazing ghost powers. At that moment, a disturbing thought entered her mind.

"_What do you want from me?" Stephanie asked with fear alive in her voice. Her uncle laughed menacingly._

"_Your powers. Without them, you can't stop me from forcing young Daniel Fenton to renounce his father and join me," he had responded. Stephanie had gotten frustrated with him._

"_Who's Daniel? Do I know him?" she questioned. Her uncle nodded slowly. "From where?"_

"_Don't you remember those college reunions at all, my dear? You were best friends with Daniel, always sneaking into different rooms in my castle and causing havoc. I always got angry with you two troublemakers, but who would have thought that you two would become my worst enemies? That's another reason to take away your powers, dear Stephanie. So that you cannot become someone who can defeat me and get in my way!"_

_Stephanie was really angry at that point and her eyes had begun to glow a radiant green. _

"_Do you _actually _think I'd give up my powers for you? The person who murdered my parents? Forget it! I'm not as stupid as you thought, Uncle Vlad!" After that, she had fled from her uncle's castle to Amity Park…_

Stephanie gasped in realization. Daniel Fenton…Danny Fenton…the boy she thought she knew! That's why she recognized him. They were best friends growing up and whenever Uncle Vlad invited their families to college reunions, she and Danny would go find something to destroy. Right now, Stephanie didn't regret the time Danny and she smashed Vlad's precious picture of his true love.

A cry distracted her from her thoughts and caught her attention instantly. Below her, a black-haired girl was being cornered by what Stephanie knew to be a ghost.

"Awesome! Just what I need!" Stephanie exclaimed with a small grin, becoming immensely excited for the upcoming battle. She swooped down gracefully, her heart and mind ready for action. She needed the practice anyway…

Another cliffy, but I'm tired and need to rest so I'll try to write the next chapter as soon as I can! Thanks for the reviews!


	5. Chapter 4: Do I Know You?

**Chapter 4: Do I Know You? **

Stephanie, at full force, tackled the ghost, which looked like a little plumber man. He didn't appear to be any sort of a threat to anybody. Stephanie sighed, grabbing the ghost by the straps of his overalls.

"I am the Box Ghost! Master of everything cardboard and square! Fear me!" the ghost man cried. Stephanie glanced at the tan, black-haired girl in the corner on her left.

"Don't worry," Stephanie reassured, "I've got him... I think." _Come on, _she thought, _I should have thought about bringing something that can contain this guy! _

"Need some help?" a voice asked. Stephanie straightened up, the ghost still in her grasp, and whipped around. A boy about her age with white hair, green eyes, and a black and silver suit much like hers floated above her, smiling.

"No, not really. Unless you happen to have some kind of container that could hold this guy," Stephanie answered with a grin. There was a soft gasp of delight behind her and she turned. It was the tan girl.

"Oh! It's the ghost boy! Inviso-Bill, isn't it?" the girl said dreamily. The boy sighed and rolled his eyes in agitation.

"No! It's Phantom! Danny Phantom!" he exclaimed. Stephanie studied him.

_Danny Phantom, _she thought,_ why does that sound so. . . familiar? _

"Why didn't you just say so?" the girl questioned with a small shrug. Danny ran his fingers through his thick white hair. Stephanie smiled in understanding and looked at the "damsel in distress."

"Look, whoever you are. Danny obviously doesn't need your questions at the moment so. . . could you just chill for a moment?" she stated. She glanced at Danny, who landed in front of her. "Um, you can do whatever you need to do." She held up the Box Ghost to Danny's face.

"Oh, right," Danny mumbled, whipping out a thermos. Stephanie raised an eyebrow slightly and waited patiently as Danny flipped the lid. A blue pillar of light erupted from the mouth of the thermos and began to suck in the Box Ghost. At last, he was gone from sight. "You can go now, Paulina," he said to the black-haired girl. Paulina, with a wave at Danny, disappeared around the corner. Stephanie chuckled.

"Fan of yours?" she asked. Now Danny chuckled.

"One of few. Do I know you?" Danny questioned. Stephanie shook her head "no" and folded her arms.

"Nope. Do I know you?"

"I don't think so. What's your name?"

Stephanie froze. _Oh, this is just brilliant. I never came up with a name for myself in this form! _"Uh…u-u-uh…Phantom Girl, I guess. Well, you can call me that."

"I didn't know there was other halfas in town," Danny said.

"Well, neither did I!" Stephanie cried, laughing.

There was a small silence between the two. There wasn't really anything more to talk about amongst each other. Stephanie finally smiled, rising into the air.

"I have somewhere to be. All part of a halfa's young life, right?" Stephanie lied. In reality, she wanted to get to know this Danny Phantom better, but she also wanted to go back to the Fenton household to see Danny Fenton. Danny rubbed his neck.

"Oh, yeah. Right. I do too," Danny replied down-heartedly. Deep down, he wanted to spend time with this Phantom Girl figure. Then, there was that cute blonde girl back at home he was desperate to get to know. At last, with both their minds made up, the halfas bid farewell and soared off in their separate ways. Little did they know that their trains of their lives were on the very same track and the trains were on a collision course…

_Yeah, some kind of a cliffie, right? LOL...well, I'm glad I finally got this chappy in. Sorry about the long delay...I was on vacation! I'll try to do the next chapter soon! Thanks for your support!_


	6. Chapter 5: I Wish You Knew Me

1**I don't own Danny Phantom. Stephanie is mine!! Thanks to my reviewers, especially ****Rio runner**** who has been urging me to write even outside of FanFiction!!**

**

* * *

**

Chapter 5: I Wish You Knew Me

Stephanie hurriedly flew home before anyone noticed she was missing…or taking too long in the bathroom, for that matter. Seeing Fenton Works ahead, she soared right back to her transformation room, changed back to her human self, then tumbled out of the bathroom. She tripped over her sneakers and slammed into the ground.

"I have to work on my exits," Stephanie grumbled.

"Hey, you all right?" came a very familiar voice.

_Wait a minute…I just barely heard that voice…could it be?_ Stephanie glanced up, but only saw Danny Fenton holding out his hand for her. She slipped her hand into his and rose to her feet. "Yeah…I'm fine," Stephanie said, completely entranced. Now she was REALLY confused. She could've sworn it was that Danny Phantom figure that she had just met, but that couldn't be possible.

"You were in there for awhile…you feeling okay?"

"Of course. Just a little…disoriented, I guess. You know, new place and all. I've gotten used to a lot of space over the past couple months so this is something new…kinda."

Danny raised any eyebrow at her response, but shrugged it off. She was definitely a fascinating girl of fourteen. Yet Danny kept getting this urging inside of him that was recognizing Stephanie.

_But how would that be possible? I don't know this girl, I've never seen her before in my life!! _Danny again studied Stephanie's flawless face. _Or have I? I feel like I've known her all my life. It's something about those eyes..._

"Uh, Danny? Why are you staring at me like that?"

Danny jerked awake from his deep thoughts and looked at Stephanie. She was expressing concern as she furrowed her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes. Danny chuckled nervously.

"Oh! Uh, no reason!" Danny exclaimed, rubbing his neck. He grinned reassuringly at Stephanie. "Sorry. Didn't mean to freak you out."

Stephanie blinked in confusion, but returned the grin nonetheless. "Don't sweat it," she replied casually. _Man, for a moment, I thought he saw the girl he knew when he was a kid,_ she thought in disappointment. _Oh well. I guess I'll have to wait and see if I can't trigger something in his mind that will help him remember those good old days._ But Stephanie had truly thought Danny had finally figured out who she was; she didn't want to tell him straight out. It was too sudden to do such a thing. Maybe with some quality time together and with some input from her, Danny would come to recognize his childhood friend.

"Hey, Stephanie?" Danny asked, interrupting Stephanie's train of thought. She looked up instantly in response. "I'm getting together with some friends tonight to go to the carnival. It just barely arrived in town and I was wondering if you would like to join us."

_He's inviting me to a carnival? _Stephanie thought._ That's unheard of. Is he just trying to be nice and helping me fit in? That's...kinda sweet of him._

"You sure about that? I mean, we just met," Stephanie answered sheepishly._ In that sense anyway..._

"Well, I understand if you don't want to go," Danny said, turning away but still holding his gaze on Stephanie.

"No, it's just that...I'm new and it just seems odd that you're already asking me to join you for some fun."

"Why wouldn't I? Besides, you could use it after all you've been through. Maybe this will cheer you up and help you meet new friends. I'm sure Tucker and Sam will like you right away."

Stephanie raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "You sure about that?" she asked almost challengingly. "I haven't had any fun with friends since..." Her voice trailed off as her small smile faded from her face. She turned her head away from Danny. "Sure, I'll go."

"That's great! Look, I've gotta run to confirm with Tuck and Sam about the 'Night o' Fun'. We'll pick you up tonight on the way there, alright?" Danny hurriedly waved, then ran out the front door. Stephanie watched him leave longingly, waving with her fingers.

"Alright," she whispered as her wave slowed and finally deceased.

**

* * *

(A/N): Yes, I know short chappy. But can't blame a girl for trying. I didn't entirely know what to do with this chapter really so give me a break. Flamers, bring it on cuz I don't really care for what you say. I accept constructive criticism...just don't make it harsh!! Thanks for your reviews!! (even though I don't have much to boast about anyway:))**


	7. Chapter 6: Memories

**I don't own Danny Phantom. Stephanie is mine, as you probably have guessed by now...so I won't say it again unless I have to. Hope you enjoy this chapter!!

* * *

**

**Chapter 6:**

**Memories**

Stephanie lounged on the spare bedroom bed, laying on her back with her hands laced beneath her head. Her long hair flared out on her pillow in silky strands of gold and her cerulean eyes stared blankly, yet thoughtfully, at the white ceiling.

_I wonder if Danny even remembers those days at Vlad's? _she thought. _I know I do...we had so much fun together, playing tag and hide-and-go-seek._

Stephanie smiled softly at this memory. It seemed to her that she was the only one who truly kept those in her heart, especially since she had nothing else. With her parents gone and Vlad on a blood-lust hunt, those were the only things she truly had to comfort her. But why didn't Danny remember? How come _she_ remembered the time they spent together?

_Tonight will be the perfect time,_ Stephanie thought. _When we get the chance to be alone, I'll have to see if I can help him remember. It's worth a shot and a long one too. But I'm positive it'll be worth it in the end...I hope._

Stephanie sat up, having gathered her thoughts at long last. She sighed heavily and slowly rose to her feet. Tonight was such a long ways away, at least to Stephanie. Time always seemed to slow down when she was overwhelmed either by excitement or mournfulness. All of that started to happen the day her parents died.

_But why me? Of all the people in this world, why did I have to lose my only family? Only to be left alone and scared...and with an uncle who's only wish is to destroy me so I don't get in his way._

The 14-year-old girl glanced at her feet emotionally, then strode towards the door.

She wondered if Danny had returned from his follow-up with his friends. Stephanie paused to think. She wished she had friends like he did. Danny had family, friends, and a home and Stephanie was happy that he did. She wished the very best for her only, dear friend. What else could she possibly want? There was nothing else for her and she knew that by now.

Stephanie shook her head, then made her way downstairs. At the foot of the stairs, she stopped and looked around. Danny didn't seem to be home just yet. Stephanie went to the front door, opened it up, and stepped outside, only to hit someone square in the face and send them both tumbling down the outside steps. They both hit the sidewalk heavily. Stephanie let out a moan as she lifted herself to her hands and knees. She glanced up and immediately, her face flushed.

"Danny?" Stephanie breathed. Sure enough, the person she had practically tackled was Danny. He was grasping his head while rising to his feet rather unsteadily. "Gosh, I'm sorry about that. I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Eh, I'm used to it by now," Danny responded. "Need a hand?" He extended his hand to Stephanie, who hesitantly slipped her hand into his. When she felt Danny's fingers curl around her palm, Stephanie's spine went rigid and for a moment, she thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest at any given time. A flashback shot through her mind.

_**Stephanie and Danny ran through the long hallways of Vlad Master's castle, giggling as they chased each other in a game of tag. Stephanie was ahead of Danny and she often shot playful glances his way.**_

"_**C'mon, Danny!" Stephanie cried. "Can't you catch me?"**_

"_**You're going too fast, Steph!" Danny replied happily. **_

_**Stephanie laughed in her innocent eight-year-old voice, her flowing blonde hair gliding behind her like a silken dress.**_ _**Her small, socked feet pounded gently against the floor of the hallway. Suddenly, Stephanie tripped over her other foot and she fell forward to the ground. Danny didn't have time to stop; his foot caught on Stephanie's legs and he collapsed as well. The two young children lifted their heads, caught each other's eye, then began laughing heartily. **_

"_**Sorry about that, Danny," Stephanie said. "I didn't mean to."**_

"_**It's okay, Steph," Danny answered with a freckled grin. He rose to his feet and offered a hand to Stephanie. "Need a hand?" **_

_**Stephanie, with a big smile, reached up and grabbed Danny's hand without delay and got to her feet. "Thanks, Danny!" she exclaimed. "Let's try again. This time, I'll be it!"**_

_**Danny scampered off and Stephanie followed closely behind.**_

"Stephanie?"

Stephanie blinked, then looked around in confusion. She was still outside on the sidewalk with Danny by her side. Stephanie gazed at Danny and she felt tears welling up in her sapphire eyes.

_That memory, _she thought. _It seemed so real and I was actually there. Me and Danny...we were kids again. _

"Hey, are you alright?" Danny asked, his face expressing concern. Stephanie,

noticing that crystal tears were streaming down her warm cheeks, gasped and whipped around. She hurriedly wiped away the tears, then turned back to Danny and gave him a reassuring grin.

"Psh, yeah. I'm fine," Stephanie responded, acting like nothing had just happened. "So...are Sam and Tuck still up for tonight?"

"Well, Sam got grounded by her parents...they're a little weird-in-the-head, if you know what I mean."

"I know how THAT is."

"But Tucker can still go. Maybe you'll meet Sam some other time."

"I hope so. At least Tucker can go with us. Now we won't be alone...not that I wouldn't like spending time with you, but...it'd be awkward and..." Stephanie paused, then chuckled to herself. "I'm stuttering. Let's go check out the carnival and see what we're up against before I creep us both out."

"Good idea," Danny said with a laughing smile. "It's a little ways away from here, but maybe we can get to know each other."

Stephanie couldn't help but smile at him. _Maybe now I can help him remember._

Danny and Stephanie brushed the dust from their clothes and walked down the sidewalk towards the carnival...and maybe to remembrance.

* * *

**A/N: Well, there's that chapter. I don't know, I thought this chapter sucked...mainly because I was half awake. Sam WILL be in this story so chill out before you freak out. I like Sam just enough for her to be a part of my stories. So please R&R and I'll try to update as soon as possible...as soon as I figure out what's going to happen next anyway...**

* * *


	8. Chapter 7: Bearing of Souls

**I don't own Danny Phantom, I own Stephanie, and all that other good stuff. Thanks for your kind reviews! Truly appreciated by me and my confidence!

* * *

**

**Chapter 7: Bearing of Souls**

Danny and Stephanie stepped onto the carnival grounds where some men were finishing up their set-ups. The sun was beginning to set, letting everyone know that the fun was about to begin.

"I can hardly wait for tonight," Stephanie murmured, staring at the ferris wheel and the roller coasters. "My parents used to bring me to carnivals all the time...just the three of us."

Danny noted the lilt in her voice as she spoke and he starting feeling concern and sympathy. "What happened to your parents?" he asked timidly. Stephanie looked at him, then began to walk into the dead carnival. Danny eagerly followed her.

"It was just a normal day for all of us," Stephanie said quietly. "We were happy, living on the outskirts of Amity Park and having absolutely no worries. At least, I didn't have any worries...not at the time." Stephanie and Danny stopped as two men walked by carrying a box that looked heavy. Once they were out of the way, the two friends continued their slow-paced walk.

"I was young when it happened so it hit me pretty hard. My parents and I were spending time together in the family room. It was evening and this was a typical routine." Stephanie swallowed the lump in her throat as she and Danny sat on a bench. "We were laughing and talking when there was a knock on the door. My dad was wondering who would come visit at that time of night. Mom and I were unsure and somewhat scared of who it could possibly be."

Stephanie inhaled deeply, trying to stop herself from crying. Danny merely remained silent and studied Stephanie's face.

"Then...we heard a pained scream coming from the front door...and we ran toward it. My father...was lying on the floor when we found him. In the doorway was the silhouette of a man I had wished never to see again: my uncle."

"Your uncle?" Danny asked in disbelief. "Your uncle killed your dad?"

"He isn't my real uncle," Stephanie stated flatly. "In fact, I wish we had never _pretended _he was my uncle. I wish we never met him! I wish he would just leave me ALONE!" Stephanie stood and stomped off at the very thought of her uncle. Danny watched her until she stopped. He then approached her.

"So...what happened to your mom?" Danny questioned. Stephanie lifted her head, glaring at nothing through angry tears.

"I knew it was him," she growled with so much hate, Danny nearly cowered. "There was no mistaking those eyes...so red and full of evil. After he had killed my father, my mother was the second to go. Right then and there...he destroyed my mom. I thought for sure he would kill me off too. But, no." Stephanie looked at Danny, her eyebrows furrowed deeply. "He took me to his castle and turned me into–into something I never wanted to be."

"What'd he do to you?"

"Do you know how it feels to be half dead? To only have half of what you really are? That's what it felt like when he transformed me. I felt like part of me had been taken away and replaced with emptiness."

Danny stared at his shoes solemnly at her description. Yes, he knew EXACTLY what it was like to be half dead. But why did Stephanie feel the way he had when he first became part ghost? Could it possible that she was...?

"Stephanie," Danny whispered. "Did your uncle make you...half ghost?"

Stephanie's face went pale and she went slack-jawed. "W-What would make you think that, Danny?" she asked nervously. Danny could see that sweat was beaded on her forehead.

"Because." Danny looked around and when he saw no one around, a white ring appeared at his waist and transformed him into his white-haired, green-eyed counterpart. Stephanie shook her vigorously in shock. "I'm half ghost, too."

"You! You're that Danny Phantom guy I met earlier today!" Stephanie exclaimed, clearly surprised. Now it was Danny's turn to act surprised.

"Wait a minute, _you're _Phantom Girl? How come I didn't catch that before?"

"I don't know," Stephanie breathed. "So you too? Did Uncle Vlad do it?"

"Uncle _Vlad?_ You have an Uncle _Vlad?_"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Well, I have one too."

Stephanie narrowed her eyes, raising an eyebrow as Danny changed back to his human self. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, that our Uncle Vlad is the same person?"

Something seemed to come and smack Danny in the face, for his eyes went wide and a gasp escaped his mouth. He blinked, disbelieving, finally understanding who this girl truly was.

"You...I remember you," Danny murmured. "Somehow, I knew it was you. How come you didn't tell me?"

"Well, for all you know, I probably didn't know who you were either," Stephanie remarked sarcastically. When Danny shot her an expecting glance, she sighed. "Okay, okay, I knew. I'll admit, I didn't know who you were at first until I got a good look at you."

"So that's why you were staring at me? You were trying to recognize me?"

"I guess you could say that."

Silence shrouded amongst the two friends for a long time, neither one of them daring to open their mouths. At long last, Danny smiled and let out a happy cry. He rushed forward and embraced Stephanie like a close friend.

"Steph!" Danny shouted, ignoring the stares he got from the men working on the carnival. "I can't believe you're here! I thought I'd never see you again!"

"That's great, Danny," Stephanie grunted; she was suffering from Danny's tight bear hug. "But you're gonna have to let me come up for air." Danny stopped what he was doing and released her, blushing from embarrassment. "You know, that was really weird."

"How come?" Danny questioned, still somewhat excited.

"I've been with you all day long and you've seen me all day long, and yet, you're here saying you thought you'd never see me again."

"But it's true! All of it! I thought I had lost a real good friend when I didn't hear from or see you since that last reunion."

"Um, the one before last. I wasn't at the last one, remember?" Stephanie corrected. "My folks were dead by then. But I was around."

"Did Plasmius keep you hostage?"

"Who?"

"Plasmius? Vlad Plasmius? He didn't tell you his ghost name?"

Stephanie shook her head. "No. Vlad hardly told me anything except that he was going to train me in my ghost powers," she replied. "I guess my powers were so great, he decided to destroy me."

"But I thought you said he made you half ghost," Danny interjected. "Why would he want to create a half ghost, then destroy it?"

"Because it wasn't entirely his fault." Stephanie turned her head away from Danny to look the other way. "It was mostly mine for being so stupid and curious." She folded her arms as she recalled the night she became part ghost.

"_I don't know if you remember it...but I do._ _It always seems like it happened yesterday. We were at least nine by that time, a couple years before I became an orphan. You and I were playing in Vlad's study when we found his secret lab..."_

"_**What do you think's down there?"**_ _**Stephanie asked Danny as the two friends gazed at the long stairway. Danny blinked his sky blue eyes.**_

"_**I don't know," Danny whispered curiously. "Maybe it's a hidden play place!"**_

"_**Do you really think so?"**_

"_**Yeah! Let's go see!"**_

_**Danny and Stephanie carefully made their way down the steps of their discovery, anxious to see what was down there. Once on solid ground again, the children found a lab full of ghost hunting equipment and science experiments. What they saw fascinated them immensely. But one thing stood out to them the most.**_

"_Vlad's brand new ghost portal. That was what caught my eye and I couldn't help but investigate."_

_**Stephanie walked up to the ghost portal, touching the steel framework. She glanced at Danny questioningly. "What is it, Danny?" she asked.**_

"_**Beats me. Wonder what's inside?" Danny said. "Hey, let's put on these suits. We can pretend we're astronauts!" The friends slid into the white lab suits with the black collar, boots and gloves that had been hanging on the wall beside the odd invention. Then they decided to enter it **_

_**Stephanie was the first to get in, then Danny. They looked all around them, taking in everything they saw.**_ _**Stephanie was the first to find the on and off buttons on the side.**_

"_I found the on and off buttons. I didn't know any better, really, I didn't. I was just so immersed in my curiosity and urging to know what that piece of work was, that I didn't even realize that I was dragging myself right into danger."_

"_**Steph, I wouldn't touch that," Danny warned, backing away.**_

"_**Calm down, Danny," Stephanie responded. "If it's a play place, then it can't hurt me." She reached for the buttons.**_

"_**Stephanie, don't!"**_

_**But it was too late. Stephanie pressed her finger down on the "on" button and watched as a green light appeared at the end of the portal. Danny's eyes widened and he continued to back up.**_

"_I was so frightened that I couldn't move. I heard you calling my name, but...nothing–or no one–could help me. Not even you."_

_**Danny watched in horror as his friend was engulfed in a radiant green light and listened to the screams of terror and pain coming from inside the portal. Once it all ended, he waited until Stephanie stumbled out. He was horrified by her appearance; Stephanie's blonde hair had become the purest white and when she opened her eyes, they glowed an eerie green. **_

"_I will never forget that look on your face when I fell out of that portal. You seemed so afraid of me, so scared to have witnessed my transformation. After that, Vlad took my parents, then raised me and trained me in my powers. But becoming too powerful for even himself, he hunted–and still hunts–me, only wanting one thing: my ghost powers."_

* * *

_**A/N: Whew, I don't know about you, but THAT was a long chapter. I worked my butt off on this so you better REVIEW. JK, LOL, chill out. I don't care what you do. I'd just like for you to read the chappies. Thanks to the kind reviewers again for their wonderful support!! I'll update as soon as I can...just for you guys.**_


	9. Chapter 8: Night at the Fair

* * *

**Chapter 8: Night at the Fair**

Danny stared at Stephanie's fallen face, unsure of what he could say. She was right, he couldn't remember that fateful night when she became half of what she was. She was just like him, lost in a world where no one accepted her and hiding something she didn't think anyone needed to know. How could anyone like Stephanie come to own such a horrible fate?

"Gosh, Stephanie...I can't believe that happened...I don't even remember it happening!" Danny said.

"Well...it's not worth remembering anyway," Stephanie reassured right away. "I wouldn't want you to...it would be enough to make you depressed. For me, it drove me to rage." She sighed. "I could've killed Vlad _Plasmius_ had I not had a merciful way of mind. I couldn't bring myself to destroy him. I'd just be repeating what he had done to my parents and that doesn't solve anything. I'm not a murderer."

Stephanie changed her frown into a smile and looked at Danny, her face suddenly lightened. "But no more of those unhappy things, Danny. Let's head back and grab Tucker so we can start our night out right." She turned and headed for the entrance of the carnival. Danny watched her for awhile before looking out at the sunset.

"Yeah...and we will, Stephanie," Danny whispered. "Now that we're back together, everything can be set straight." And with that, he followed his friend back to Tucker's house.

* * *

"Hey, Danny! You ready to..."

Tucker Foley's sentence faded when he saw Stephanie standing beside Danny. The twosome had shown up and knocked on the door as soon as they walked up to it. Tucker was expecting to see Sam Manson, not this cute blonde girl at his best friend's side.

"Dude, who's she?" Tucker asked almost in excitement.

"Tuck, I'd like you to meet my long-time friend, Stephanie Parker," Danny announced, gesturing toward Stephanie, who waved softly.

"Hi, Tucker," Stephanie greeted. "Nice to finally meet you!"

"It's a _PLEASURE_ to meet you, Miss Parker!" Tucker swooped out of the doorway and grabbed Stephanie's hand. Stephanie gave him a nervous smile.

"Heh...uh...please, just call me Stephanie. 'Miss Parker' is what adults call me."

"That's cool with me. So we leavin', man?" Tucker directed the question at Danny, who smiled.

"Yep! Ready for the 'Night-O-Fun?'" Danny asked, swinging his arm.

"I'm all over it!"

The trio walked down the street towards their fun night, Danny and Tucker shooting it off about school or something of the sort. Stephanie couldn't really keep track of what they were saying. Growing up without close friends and being without any siblings, she had a tough time comprehending their words.

_ Well, maybe it's just boy talk,_ Stephanie thought with small smirk. _I don't understand their language...maybe I'll get a chance to understand it by tonight. Then I can actually communicate!! _

Stephanie's thoughts came to an abrupt end when Danny snatched her arm and ran into the carnival after Tucker. Everyone came as expected; students, parents and children, even older people could be seen there. Stephanie looked around in wonder; she hadn't experienced so much excitement since she had gone with her own parents. The thrill of really being a part of something as fun as this got her trembling with joy.

"Danny! Let's try that one! I hear it's the fastest roller coaster alive!" Tucker exclaimed. Stephanie glanced up and saw the largest roller coaster she had ever seen. She gulped, then forced a smile at Danny and Tucker.

"You up to it, Stephanie?" Danny asked challengingly.

Not entirely willing to let a challenge slip right by, Stephanie stated, "You kidding? That roller coaster's nothing! Let's...go." _What have I gotten myself into THIS time?_

After a long wait in line, Tucker seated himself up in front while Danny and Stephanie took the way back. Stephanie clutched the safety latch, looking around frantically. Danny was perfectly calm, obviously prepared for the ride of his life. Before Stephanie knew it, they shot off like a bullet onto the coaster rails. Danny yelled and whooped at the top of his lungs while Stephanie screamed in the exact same way. She closed her eyes, not wishing to see anything for the rest of the ride.

"Here comes the loop, Stephanie!!" Danny cried.

"That's great, Danny!" responded Stephanie. "Tell me when it's over!"

"No, you have to open your eyes! It's worth seeing!"

"Danny, no!"

"Come on!" Danny grabbed Stephanie's hand at the best of his ability and pulled it away from her face. "Now look up when we get on the loop!"

Stephanie gritted her teeth, not certain if she would like this the way Danny suggested she would. But when the loop came, she obeyed and lifted her head. As they rolled upside down, she gasped.

The city of Amity Park was glimmering wonderfully. The lights of the evening twinkled beyond the fair, showing that good citizens lived within it's boundaries. The sight was breath-taking and Stephanie didn't get a good enough look before the coaster careened back down to finish up the ride.

Danny and Tucker laughed and high-fived as soon as they stepped off. Stephanie was in shock, both from the thrill of the ride and from what she had seen. The three friends headed out to find more games, which was considerably easy to do. Games were around every corner and Stephanie didn't think she had ever had this much fun in all her life. She had dominated at throwing the balls at the tower of bottles and won a stuffed animal dog. Of course she handed it right over to Danny as a friendship gift.

Eventually, the full moon was out and couples headed over to the Ferris wheel to watch the fireworks from up high. Danny knew what time it was and he also knew that this was the perfect time to catch up with Stephanie. While Stephanie was distracted, Danny approached Tucker.

"Tuck, do you think I could...?" he began.

"Dude, no problem," Tucker immediately replied, patting his friend on the back. "You haven't seen her for years. Make the best of it."

"Thanks, Tuck." Danny hurried over to Stephanie. "Hey, uh, Stephanie?" Stephanie turned to face him. "Um, I-I was sorta wondering if you'd like to, uh...ride the Ferris wheel with me?"

Stephanie blinked in surprise. The Ferris wheel? With Danny? She looked up at the giant wheel, noticed the teenage boys and girls walking toward it, then returned her gaze to her friend. "Uh...u-uh...sure, Danny. That'd be great." She felt the blood rushed to her, almost dizzying her, when Danny slipped his hand into hers and pulled her along. Her heart was pounding; she'd finally get to talk to Danny!!

* * *

**A/N: Alrighty! Not the LONGEST chapter, but it's an update right? Right...so, anyway, yeah great, our friend Steph gets to talk to our even BETTER friend Danny. What are they gonna talk about? Will the night be ruined or will it end on a good note? I don't know, I haven't figured that out yet, but we will all find out in the next chappy! And thank you those who put my story on your favorites...you have NO idea how much I appreciate that! Thank you, thank you, thank you and just for you, I'll update even sooner...I just have to get around school:) (If I make a missing word or spelling mistake, please notify me!! Thanks!)**


	10. Chapter 9: A Walk Down Remembrance

* * *

**Chapter 9: A Walk Down Remembrance**

Danny and Stephanie slid into their seats on the Ferris wheel, neither one saying anything to one another. They didn't speak or make eye contact as their seat rose into the air; they hadn't a clue what to say to each other.

"Danny," Stephanie whispered as they lifted higher and higher into the air. Danny felt his heart skip a beat; he was excited to be with his friend.

_ Okay, good, she's gonna talk, _he thought._ What is she gonna say? What if I can't respond? Oh boy, I hope I can talk to her._

"Yeah...Stephanie?" Danny responded nervously.

Stephanie heaved in a great sigh, then locked her eyes with her dearest friend. "Do you know anything about our childhood? Like the games we played or what we talked about? I remember vaguely, but not entirely. I can't remember every memory."

_ She talks pretty smart for fourteen,_ Danny thought, clearing his throat. "Uh...I do remember one game we played," he said. Stephanie smiled, eager to learn more. "I remember you and me stealing Vlad's picture of my mom..."

"That really isn't right," Stephanie stated bluntly.

"Tell me about it. We hid the picture somewhere...I can't..."

"In the movie room."

Danny looked up in surprise at Stephanie, who looked away just as fast. He couldn't believe it; she_ did _remember!

"I can't believe you remember where we hid it!"

"Kind of hard not to. I remember how mad Vlad was. What happened after that?"

Danny became thoughtful, then replied, "He came walking in right as we were placing it in it's a hiding place and started chasing us around the whole castle. But he couldn't catch up with us because we were too fast!"

"Ha! I remember that!" Stephanie exclaimed laughingly.

"Yeah!" Danny laughed. "I think we hid someplace with the picture..."

"I think it was the room I was staying in...yeah, it was. Vlad couldn't find us because we were under the bed. I can't really remember that conversation we had..."

Danny and Stephanie were silent as they tried to think up their kid talk under the bed of Stephanie's current room. When it came to them, they slowly raised their heads, looked at each other, and blushed deeply.

"I remember," the two said simultaneously. They blinked.

"Steph, you go first," Danny said. "What do you remember from it?"

Stephanie recovered from her shock at hearing Danny's old nickname for her and shook her head vigorously. "Well...I...uh, remember saying something about you being my 'bestest' friend."

Danny grinned and Stephanie returned it as the memory seeped in.

** _A young Danny Fenton and Stephanie Parker giggled together in the bedroom, hiding underneath the bed. In Danny's hands was the picture of his mother, Maddie Fenton, that they had taken from Vlad's room._**

_ "**We sure fooled him, Danny!" Stephanie whispered, still red-faced from laughing so hard. Danny clutched the picture tighter as he suppressed another giggle. **_

_ "**Uncle Vlad will never find us in here!" Danny agreed, his freckled face beaming with pleasure. **_

**_ The two children quieted when they heard footsteps and saw a pair of feet walking about the room. Then the feet left and the children heard the word "badgers" as the door closed. Again, Danny and Stephanie broke into a fit of giggles. _**

_ "**Danny, you're my bestest friend in the whole world," said Stephanie with a broad grin on her face.**_

_ "**You're mine too, Steph," Danny answered. He then got a mischievous look in his eye. "Do you think we'll always be friends?"**_

_ "**I think so."**_

_ "**Do you think we'll get married? I've seen best friends get married when they get older."**_

**_ Stephanie twisted her face in a grimace at Danny's question. "Yuck! Danny, you're my best friend! I can't marry you!" Danny laughed out loud._**

_ "**You're right about that!" Danny cried. They laughed until they cried...**_

When the reminiscence was over, Danny and Stephanie were crying from laughing so hard. Danny wiped away a tear and shook his head, his body still trembling from the laughter.

"Ugh, I can't believe I brought that up!" he exclaimed.

"Well, you said it! You sounded serious when you said it too!" Stephanie added, smiling at her friend. She calmed down a bit. "Oh well. We were just kids. It's funny just to look back and just...laugh at ourselves."

Danny and Stephanie sighed as the fireworks began to shoot off in spurts of vibrant colors. The Ferris wheel stopped for every couple on it so they could watch them comfortably together. Everyone "ooh'd" and "aah'd" as the fireworks exploded above them.

"Danny...I feel...happy," Stephanie murmured, keeping her blue eyes on the wonderful rockets of color. Danny looked at her and Stephanie did the same to him. "I haven't felt this way since my parents died."

Danny felt sympathy, yet happiness at the exact same time. "I'm glad I was able to make your time worthwhile, Steph," he said. "And I'm glad you're back."

"Yes, and so am I," an all-too-familiar voice said. Stephanie's eyes widened in fear and shock when she heard it. Danny was surprised as well.

"Oh no!"

* * *

**A/N: Okay...let me tell the story about this chapter. I was right in the middle of typing it up and the power went out for just a second and I lost EVERYTHING I had typed up. Dang...so I tried my best to remember what I had written (it was my favorite chapter too!). No, I don't write this story down...it comes naturally to me. But here's a lesson for ya: make sure you ALWAYS save your work, especially if you've been working your butt off on it. OMG...thank you, kind reviewers! I have never had anyone say such nice things to me before! Thank you so much, kind reviewers, for you have lightened up my day after a long day of school. That made me feel great. I'll update as soon as it's possible...school's been harsh...:)**


	11. Chapter 10: An Unwanted Visitor

* * *

**Chapter 10: An Unwanted Visitor**

Danny grasped Stephanie protectively as he glared evilly at the man floating before him. It was none other than Vlad Plasmius, clad in his usual black and white suit complete with his white, red-lined cape flapping behind him. Couples around Danny and Stephanie shrieked and screamed in terror. Vlad smiled, revealing his vampire-like fangs.

"Ah, Stephanie, how wonderful it is to find you at last," Vlad said coolly.

Stephanie frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you want, Vlad?" she demanded. "I told you, I'm not going to give in and you're not getting anything of mine!"

"I'm afraid you have no choice."

Stephanie drew back, confused. She couldn't go down without a fight, that was for sure. Vlad had never been able to control her since she had become so powerful in her ghostliness. That had been his mistake; Vlad had trained Stephanie in everything he knew, expecting her to become as he. But the girl hadn't–she had become almost more powerful than he and used her unique powers for good. Stephanie could have killed him if she wanted to that night she escaped, but she didn't.

"Just stay away from her, Plasmius!" Danny threatened heatedly. "If you want her, you have to get through me!"

Danny, knowing for a fact that no one could see he and Stephanie in their position, turned them both invisible and flew off past Vlad to find a good place to hide. When they were on the ground away from the people, Danny looked at Stephanie.

"We have to get you to a safe place, Steph" Danny explained in a serious tone Stephanie hadn't heard him use before. "I won't lose you again. I...I won't!"

"Danny," Stephanie said sternly, capturing Danny's attention immediately. "I'm not going to be the one responsible for you getting hurt. This is my battle...I need to do it alone."

Danny stared long and hard at Stephanie. "But you're not alone." He took Stephanie's hand in his own. "Not anymore."

Stephanie's eyes slightly widened as his words and her hand squeezed Danny's without her knowing. She was lost for words, absolutely speechless! Danny had said the most meaningful words that have ever reached her ears and that to her was a special thing.

"Danny..."

Just then, something whipped Stephanie off her feet and lifted her high into the air. Stephanie gasped shrilly as this was done. Danny looked up and found Vlad grinning down at him.

"Plasmius! Let her go!" Danny cried. He quickly changed into his ghostly counterpart and rose up to meet his foe face-to-face. "I won't let you get away with this!"

"I already have, Daniel," Vlad answered, keeping a level head. "This girl doesn't deserve to live...not with powers as strong and harmful as hers. Don't you want to keep this community safe?"

"Yes...I mean...well...Stephanie's never done anything wrong!"

"Not yet. You haven't seen her when her anger is unleashed. It could destroy a whole town if she let that happen. She's nothing but a monster not worth having around, Daniel, can't you see that!?"

Danny's green eyes ignited when this was said about his best friend. "No, she isn't ! How dare you speak about Stephanie that way!"

Stephanie struggled in Vlad's arms, just itching to get away from his grasp. She closed her eyes and remained still. Suddenly, her eyes flew open, revealing the eerie green she shared with Danny. A purple ring appeared as it had earlier and transformed her into her ghostly self. Angrily, Stephanie brought her hand up and shot Plasmius away from her with a green plasma beam. She glared at the man who had given her nothing but pain.

"You're just afraid that I'll become more powerful than you, Plasmius," Stephanie snarled. "You don't want me to live because you know that I could destroy you easily and stop you from ruling the world!"

Vlad clenched his teeth in rage. "You will die, child. And it will be at my hands!" he shouted, raising his hand. It began to glow with a pinkish light. Stephanie copied him, her hands glowing green. Simultaneously, the two ghosts fired at each other, their beams joining in the middle. Each tried to beat out the other, desperately trying to defeat the enemy.

Danny watched with horror as the scene unfolded. What should he do? What _could _he do? He could only witness his friend and enemy fight.

Vlad laughed at Stephanie's pitiful attempt to send his own attack back at him. "Oh, please, Stephanie," he remarked mockingly. "I know you're holding back. Come on. Give it your best shot...or are you too soft to do any good?"

Stephanie began to feel her blood boil beneath her skin. _Don't let him in, don't let him in,_ she kept telling herself. _He's just trying to make you use your real power...don't listen to him. Keep yourself under control, Steph, come on!" _

But no matter what she told herself, the anger kept building up as Vlad continued to talk to her like a little child, acting like she didn't know what she was doing. Finally, Stephanie couldn't take it anymore. She shot back Vlad's beam fiercely.

"That's IT!" she screamed. As she did so, green waves of energy emitted from her mouth and shot out towards Vlad, who braced himself as the waves started to push him back forcefully. Stephanie didn't hold back this time; her fury was being released after years of keeping it within her.

Danny became concerned, knowing that his friend was feeling a deep pain within and she was expressing it with rage. He flew to her and hovered beside her.

"Steph, snap out of it!" Danny yelled. "You don't want to do this. It isn't right!"

Stephanie, at hearing Danny's voice, calmed down and the Ghostly Wail faded, as well as her strength. The girl automatically became human again from exhaustion. Danny leaned forward and caught her before she could plummet to the ground. He looked up just in time to see Vlad flying away.

_ He'll be back_, Danny thought. _And next time, Steph might not be so lucky._ He looked down at Stephanie, who was completely unconscious. Danny's heart went out to her. He could understand her pain; he had gone through times of anger as well...his time having to do with emotions causing different weather. Vlad was right though. Stephanie WAS strong. Danny figured that might be true, being that she had been a half ghost for nearly six years.

"Don't worry, Steph," Danny whispered, soaring towards home. "I'll take care of you...and I won't ever let anything happen to you...ever."


	12. Chapter 11: Standing By You

**Well...here's this chapter again. Yes, I made a little mistake that was pointed out by my friend (you know who you are) and now it's fixed. So...enjoy this chapter...again:)**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Standing By You**

Stephanie's blue eyes fluttered open. She sat up with a jolt and looked around. Realizing she was in Danny's room on his bed, Stephanie calmed down. But, what had happened? How did she get here? Where was Vlad? Stephanie grabbed her head as she moaned.

_Last night is all a blur,_ she thought, standing and going to the door. _I remember having a good talk with Danny at the fair...and then Vlad showed up...I don't know what else happened! What did Vlad do? What did Danny do? What did _I _do? _

Stephanie shook her head slowly, then headed down the stairs at an even pace.

She took things slow, knowing that if she tried to do anything too fast, she'd become light-headed. Stephanie entered the living room and stood there, turning her head in every direction and wondering where everyone was.

"Danny? Jazz?" Stephanie called, beginning to walk around the house. "Mrs. Fenton? Mr. Fenton?" She was confused now; everyone in the house was gone. Stephanie hurried into the kitchen, frantic now. The Fenton family was gone and she had no clue where they had gone! When she was about to go in the basement, a thought hit her.

"It's Friday...which means..." Stephanie slapped her head in realization. "Duh! Danny and Jazz are at school! Why'd they go without me!?" Stephanie didn't know the first place to find a backpack in this house, but she took to searching anyway. She looked in Danny's room, Jazz's room and even the op-center. Nothing. The basement was the last place to look.

_I just might get lucky,_ Stephanie thought as she descended the stairs to the lower level. As soon as she stepped foot onto the smooth tiled floor, Stephanie's eyes shot open in fascination. _So THIS is what they have down here. It's just like Vlad's!_ The girl walked around, examining the weaponry.

"Ah! Here we go!" Stephanie had found a lone backpack thrown against the wall. It was white with a green trim, which seemed to be the trademark color of practically everything in the lab. Stephanie picked it up and inspected it carefully. "Hmm. Not the best backpack I've seen, but it'll be fine for now." Before leaving, something caught the teen's eye. "What the...?"

It was the cylinder-shaped object, the one she had seen Danny use when she first met him as Danny Phantom.

_I remember this, _Stephanie thought, picking up the thermos and studying it. _It sucks in ghosts and contains them, judging by what I saw the other day. It just may come in handy later. _

With that, Stephanie stuffed the thermos inside her newly found backpack, ran up the stairs and out the door towards school, joining a group of students unnoticed.

* * *

Danny grabbed the books and homework he needed for his next class dully. He glanced up and saw the funny pictures he and Stephanie had done while at the fair. He smiled for a minute, then frowned. 

"I really shouldn't have left Stephanie at home," Danny said quietly. "I know she would've wanted to come...but she was tired! It wouldn't have done her any good!"

"Hey, Danny!" greeted Sam Manson, Danny's other good friend. She and Tucker were walking up to his locker. "So how was the fair? Tuck told me that Vlad kinda ruined your night."

"Yeah. He did," Danny responded solemnly. "Just when Stephanie and I were recollecting our childhood."

"Stephanie, who's Stephanie?"

"A long time friend. We used to hang out together when we went to college reunions."

"At Vlad's? I thought he didn't hold those all the time."

"Vlad's not the only one who does them."

"Hey, is it just me, or is that Stephanie coming down the hallway right now?" Tucker questioned. Danny whipped around and discovered Stephanie walking nonchalantly through the sea of students.

"Steph?" Danny called.

Stephanie heard her nickname and her head lifted. Her face brightened when she saw Danny and Tucker. There was another girl, a Goth, whom Stephanie guessed to be Sam.

"Hi, guys," Stephanie said rather nervously. She looked at Sam. "You must be Sam. My name is Stephanie. Nice to meet you." She extended her hand to the black-haired girl.

"Likewise," Sam replied kindly, taking Stephanie's hand and shaking it. She already liked the impression she was getting from this new girl.

"You okay, Stephanie?" Danny asked. "You look a little uptight."

"That's because I am," Stephanie said truthfully, wringing her hands together.

"How come?" Tucker questioned.

"I haven't been to school in such a long time. Vlad's taught me everything. I haven't been to a public school since kindergarten!"

"Well, we'll help you out," Sam offered, slinging her arm around Stephanie's shoulders. "We'll teach you everything_ we _know and you'll do just fine." Suddenly, a large shadow cast over them.

"Hey, Fen-turd!" an obnoxious voice called. The foursome glanced up and found a buff blonde boy.

_Jocks,_ Stephanie thought scornfully. _Even I know they're bad news. _

"You ready for your morning exercise, Fenton? My fists are just dying to meet your face!"

Stephanie immediately became defensive. "Hey, pal. If you want him, you have to go through me," she growled. Danny recognized his own words from the night before.

"I see we got a new girl," the boy said. "Name's Dash. I play football. What's your name?"

"Stephanie. I'm a ninth degree black belt. Want a demonstration?" Stephanie snatched Dash's arm and with a swift movement, sent him crashing to the floor. She stooped down to Dash's face. "If I ever see you threatening ANY of my friends, you won't be getting away with only a couple bruises." Stephanie straightened as Dash rose to his feet.

"Wow. I like a girl with spunk. You should be a cheerleader!" Dash exclaimed while holding his head.

"BEAT IT!" Stephanie shouted dangerously.

Dash ran off, passing curious students who looked at Stephanie in wonder.

"Nice, Stephanie," Sam complimented. "You just scared off an idiotic grizzly bear."

"Who's bark is worse than his bite," Danny added.

Stephanie shrugged. "I've learned how to deal with punks like him," she said. "And seriously, he has a bad taste in girls." She glanced over her shoulder at Dash, who was now chatting to a tanned, dark-haired girl.

"Thanks for the save, anyway," Danny said. "Dash would've beat my face in."

"Psh. No problem." Stephanie smiled at her friends, who returned it whole-heartedly. "I got your backs."

"And we've got yours," Sam responded.

With the problem solved and all the teens happy, they walked together down the hall to their class. Stephanie couldn't keep the smile off her face.

_I can see now how Danny can handle being half ghost all the time, _she thought.

* * *

**A/N: Do I really need to write another one right here? I'll cut to the chase: Stephanie ALWAYS has problems with Dash in my stories (and I know, a lot girls out there love to make their OC's beat up Dash...it's so much fun, right? Right there with ya.) and she ALWAYS kicks his butt. This, actually, is the first time Dash has ever shown interest in Stephanie in any story I've written so even this was shocking to me. Again, thanks to my reviewers and my new friend who decided to try telling me what I did wrong when I asked for it! I was able to fix the problem because of her! And again, if you EVER see something weird or misspelled, PLEASE tell me! Don't think you're being mean, I'm actually ASKING for you to help me! Thanks a lot:)**


	13. Chapter 12: If I Never Knew You

**Hey, people! Sorry I haven't updated in a long while, but that's what happens when school's pounding you with a LOT of school work. Anyway, enjoy this chappy!

* * *

**

Chapter 12: If I Never Knew You

Stephanie enjoyed her day at a real school, even with Dash attempting to get her to like him without much success. She already knew a lot of the subjects taught and it was exciting to her to be amongst so many people her age. Danny, Tucker, and Sam also made her stay worthwhile. They let her borrow their books for classes and when teachers questioned her appearance in their class, they would lie and say that Stephanie was a new student. No teacher really went into detail and welcomed the new girl.

The bell rang for the end of school and the students shot out of their seats, whooping and hollering for the weekend. Stephanie grinned as she watched her temporary peers pile out the door. She had forgotten how wonderful it was to look forward to the weekend. In fact, she had just plain out forgotten how wonderful it was to be free. Stephanie sighed as she gathered up her belongings and walked out the door.

Danny was already at his locker, shoving text books into it hurriedly. Stephanie approached him without a word and started putting Danny's books back as well. Danny glanced up.

"Hey, Steph!" he greeted with a smile. "So what'd you think?"

"It was great!" Stephanie responded, pushing in the last book. "I don't think I've ever been so excited about school...or learning, in that case."

Danny laughed and slammed his locker shut. "Don't get used to it," he said, slinging his arm around Stephanie's shoulders and making her blush. "You THINK you like it. But when you deal with the same people every day, you kinda get bored."

"I don't doubt that," Stephanie remarked. She and Danny walked out the school doors casually, just silently enjoying each other's company. Finally, Danny broke the silence.

"Steph...I was wondering...would you, uh...like to take a fly with me?" asked Danny hesitantly. "I mean, if you're up to it."

Stephanie smiled warmly at her friend and inconspicuously removed his arm from her shoulders. "I'm always up for anything, Danny," she said. "And a fly sounds really nice. I'm in."

"Great! Well, then, let's go!"

"Wait, you really meant right now?"

"Of course! Let's do it!"

"But Danny, I'm not..."

"Aw, come on, Steph!" Danny grabbed Stephanie's arm and pulled her along with him as he ran down the street. He slipped into an alleyway and yanked Stephanie in with him. "Okay, ready?"

Stephanie, a little flustered by Danny's quick reaction, grinned the best she could. "Uh, sure!" she said.

Danny became his counterpart in a white flash and Stephanie copied his actions. They gave each other a look and nodded. They rose gracefully up into the air and floated there for a moment. Stephanie looked at her surroundings, then sent a questioning glance at Danny, who laughed.

"Come on. Follow me. There's a certain place I like to fly on Fridays," Danny explained. He smirked. "Up for a challenge?"

Stephanie studied him for a moment before returning the mischievous grin. "What are you up to, Danny Phantom?" she asked slyly, guessing her friend's motives.

_Come on, he's a boy_, Stephanie thought._ All boys have the same interests...kinda. Danny might try to pull something on me...well, if he does, then I won't let him!_

"Why don't you find out?" With that, Danny shot off like a bullet, leaving Stephanie behind to roll her eyes.

"I knew that would be his motive. I KNEW all boys were the same!" The female halfa took off just as fast– maybe faster –as Danny and wound up behind him in record time. "Ha! Thought you could just get away so easily, huh Danny? Nice try. I've been half ghost for over two years!"

Danny, who had been appalled at Stephanie's quick reaction and fascinating speed, hinted a challenge in his friend's tone. "Are you saying I can't beat you in a race?" he asked.

Stephanie sighed, acting bored. "No...I'm saying you're too slow to beat me in the first place," she yawned as she flipped over and flew on her back leisurely. She threw a quick glance Danny's way.

"Oh-hoh, so THAT'S it, huh?" Danny questioned. "Well...then we'll have to prove that, won't we?"

Stephanie whirled back to her stomach and laid her chin on her folded arms, floating casually next to Danny. "If you want," she replied.

"Have it your way!" Again, Danny flew off with intense speed, not bothering to sneak a glance Stephanie's way. Stephanie sighed.

"Guess he'll have to learn the hard way," she muttered. With a playful laugh, Stephanie soared after Danny and angled herself above the other halfa. She took notice that Danny was heading for the beach–or rather the ocean itself. "Ah, the ocean. Nice."

Stephanie stayed above Danny's head for awhile, then swooped down unannounced.

Danny yelped in surprise and drew back. He watched as Stephanie took the lead and headed for open water. "Ugh. She thinks she's all that," he mumbled. Danny smiled, then followed Stephanie to the water. When he was beside her, he said, "Man, you're fast! Okay, you win, Steph! Let's cool down a bit!"

"Fine by me! Glad you succombed to my wittiness!" Stephanie chuckled. She dived down sharply and Danny thought for a split second that she was going to break the surface of the ocean. But much to his relief and shock, Stephanie pulled up skillfully and performed several aerial back-flips before stopping. She threw a handful of water into Danny's face when she was level with him.

"Ugh! Steph! What the heck?!" Danny sputtered, shaking his head vigorously and sending water droplets every which way.

Stephanie smiled innocently. "Cool enough for you? Only a skillful master could keep water in their hands after that performance," she bragged sarcastically. Danny wiped the excess water from his face and blinked.

"Yeah...I guess so," Danny said slowly. "Now I'll show you the place I like to go...AFTER the flight." He grabbed Stephanie's hand gently and flew in slow-ascending spirals to the beach below. The two friends landed on a grassy hill overlooking the water and sand. The sun was setting, reflecting its dying rays upon the ocean's glimmering surface.

"Wow," Stephanie breathed, smiling softly. "It's...beautiful. It's even better than the fireworks."

"I come here when I'm frustrated or just need a break from all the hero stuff," Danny said. "It's a calm place for me...no ghosts, no family...just me and no one else." He looked at Stephanie. "Except now."

Stephanie returned Danny's gaze and realized how his green eyes sparkled in the sunset perfectly. The face of serenity, of peace and contentedness. It was something Stephanie didn't see often on anyone's face.

"Well...Steph? What I mean to say is...I'm glad you're here to share this with me."

Stephanie's heart pounded forcefully against her chest when these sincere words were spoken. "Really?" she whispered.

"Really," Danny confirmed with a nod. "You're very special to me, Stephanie. I can't imagine what life would be like not knowing you...even if those memories aren't very fresh in my mind."

Stephanie wanted to break down and cry. She wanted to jump into Danny's arms and tell him everything she wanted him to know. That he was her best friend, that she wanted nothing to ruin their friendship...that she really liked him. But she couldn't. Not now.

"If I never knew you, Danny," Stephanie said in an unsteady voice, "my life would have no meaning. I'd still be running from Vlad out in the streets. I'd still be living in fear." She grinned at her dearest friend. "But...now, I can move on. I can live. I can be _me._" Stephanie rested a hand on Danny's shoulder. "And you're the one who opened up that possibility. I thank you for that."

Without a warning, Danny scooped Stephanie up in a friendly hug, holding her close to him. The sun was nearly gone below the horizon now and the stars were starting to burst through the dark veil of night.

"Don't ever forget how important you are, Stephanie. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Besides, best friends know best."

* * *

**A/N: Okay! Hoped you liked this chapter...I had fun writing it, actually. I'm not normally a girl for mushy stuff, but you know, it's cute. I like it when friends get to know each other bit by bit all over again like that. And that's weird for me to say seems how I never compliment my own work...if I brag at all, it's sarcastically done!! ;)**


	14. Chap 13: The Master Mind Behind Her Life

**Aha! I was able to type this up real fast. I wanted you guys to see what Mr. Masters was up to. Yeah, it's short, but it's pretty much an obvious foreshadowing, as I like to call it. I hope you like it!

* * *

**

Chapter 13: The Master Mind Behind Her Life

"Dearest Stephanie, how much longer will it be until I finally have you in my grasp?" Vlad asked himself. He watched on a large screen in his lab as Danny embraced Stephanie in a friendly hug. "Hmm..Daniel seems to remember Stephanie quite well now. And that's never a good thing."

Vlad paced back and forth, thinking hard about what he could possibly do next. Danny was becoming a problem; he was getting reattached to Stephanie and that meant he would do anything to protect her.

"Ah, Daniel, always foiling my plans," Vlad sighed, rubbing his chin with his index finger thoughtfully. "If you had joined me a long time ago...if Stephanie had joined me...none of these problems would be in my way right now!" Vlad narrowed his eyes as he studied the two halfas. "I have to get one of them to join with me. Just one. Daniel was my first priority, but I taught Stephanie myself. She's much more experienced and with a little coaxing, she may fall into my possession once more."

The middle-aged halfa paced some more. What could he do? Vlad stopped, staring at nothing in particular. A plan was forming, but it wasn't complete.

"I would try cloning again...but that was a failure, both with Daniel AND Danielle. If Daniel was able to withstand the cloning process, it would be no match for Stephanie. I have to somehow take away her powers...yes...then return her to my castle. With threatening on Daniel's life, I'm sure she'd come around and remember that she belongs to me."

Vlad chuckled a bit, returning his gaze to his screen. Danny and Stephanie were flying home now, both looking extremely happy. Vlad focused the camera on Stephanie's smiling face. He grinned sinisterly.

"You'll be mine, dear Stephanie," Vlad vowed. "Whether it be the easy way...or the hard way. Which ever you choose."

* * *

**A/N: Okay, like I said, not very long. But it's giving you a general idea where I plan to go with this story. So it's for your guys's benefit, not really mine. Still, Vlad's my fav villain in DP and I always like writing his parts!! Please read and review! Thank you guys so, so much for your support!!**


	15. Chapter 14: Devil Inside

**Finally, I got the time and the ideas I needed to get the next chapter up. This explains a lot, in my opinion and ties some loose ends up. I'm nearly done with this story!

* * *

**

Chapter 14: Devil Inside

"I _will _have your pretty head mounted on my wall, ghost girl!"

Stephanie soared swiftly through Amity Park, the bounty hunter Skulker on her tail. She had met Skulker a long time ago through Vlad, though at that time, the hunter wasn't allowed to hunt her. Without Vlad's "protection," Stephanie had to fend for herself and so far she wasn't having a problem. Skulker was an "amateur ghost," which was term the female halfa used for ghosts not worth fighting.

_He's _really_ bugging me, _Stephanie thought angrily. _Besides, I _DESPISE _tail-gaters! _

Stephanie looped upward and over Skulker's head gracefully until she was directly behind him. She laughed out loud.

"Who's hunting who, Skulker?" Stephanie taunted. "Trust me, I'm not enjoying the view."

Skulker glanced over his shoulder and his green eyes widened. He whipped around, ready to face the young halfa. "Then enjoy this one!" he cried. Rockets shot out of his back and flew at Stephanie with rapid speed. Stephanie gasped, then quickly went intangible. The rockets went right through her and were gone. Stephanie chuckled and returned her attention to the ghost hunter before her.

"Nice try, Skulker, but you have to try harder to catch me."

"Then try this!" Skulker pressed a button on his mechanical arm and a net shot out. Stephanie gasped as the net engulfed her and she fell towards the street below. But the bounty hunter caught her before she could slam into the hard pavement. "You're getting too cocky, ghost girl," Skulker growled, his face close to Stephanie's as he held her an arm's length away. "Just because you were trained by Plasmius himself doesn't mean you're better than me."

Stephanie gritted her teeth angrily. "We'll have to find out!" she shouted. Suddenly, she burst through her entrapment and flipped away from Skulker. Stephanie charged up a ghost ray and fired it at Skulker, who was pushed back somewhat from the attack.

"Just wait, Skulker! There'll be a new name floating around the Ghost Zone once I'm done with you!" Stephanie drew her hands back, charging and containing another energy blast.

Skulker halted to stare at the ghost child. He narrowed his eyes at her questioningly, yet almost challengingly. "And what name would that be?" he asked. Stephanie smirked.

"Just call me your worst nightmare." Stephanie unleashed the power ball she held in her hand and hit the bounty hunter in the chest. Acting quickly, Stephanie whipped out the Fenton Thermos she had borrowed and flipped the lid. "See ya in the Ghost Zone, Skulker."

The blue light erupted from the cylinder and engulfed Skulker, who grinned menacingly at Stephanie like he knew something she didn't.

"So Vlad was right...you are truly returning..._my worst nightmare_," he said. He laughed evilly as the light pulled him forcefully into the thermos in Stephanie's hands. Once inside, the halfa recapped her weapon.

Stephanie became less tense and stared at her hand. She _was_ becoming more powerful, nearly more powerful than Vlad or Danny, even! It was a scary thought. Stephanie knew she would always grow to be powerful, but she was afraid it would go to her head and she would hurt someone dear to her. The girl's head jerked up in realization of this.

_Danny..._

If she became _too _powerful, Stephanie could hurt Danny–her one true friend left in this world. There had to be a way to lessen her powers or get rid of them altogether. That way, no one could be harmed at her hand. With this in mind, Stephanie flew off with thermos in hand.

* * *

Stephanie emptied the Fenton Thermos solemnly into the portal and set it back on the counter. She sighed and her head dropped in her hand in frustration and exasperation. She was confused; she didn't know what to do with herself or her powers. She didn't want to hurt anyone. It wasn't in her nature. 

"But what can I do? I can't just wish my powers away," Stephanie said aloud.

"Oh, Stephanie. You're making this easier every moment."

Stephanie glanced up, her green eyes searching the basement carefully. She knew that voice anywhere and she couldn't deny who it was.

"Come out and show yourself, Vlad!" Stephanie snapped.

"Why? So you can destroy me with your ghost powers?" Vlad seeped out of the wall and stood before Stephanie with a smug grin on his face. "You said yourself you wished them gone."

Stephanie never moved her eyes from her evil uncle. "Only because you're the one who gave them to me," she snarled. "And they'll only hurt those I love."

"And who would that be?" Vlad pretended to think. "Oh, I see. You mean young Daniel, don't you."

It wasn't a question.

"I've been watching you, Stephanie...in everything that you do, wondering how I can take you back for my own. Then you go and befriend Daniel once again and now, you two are like little guards for each other, watching each other's back. Pathetic behavior out of one such as you."

"Just because you raised me to hate," Stephanie growled. "I know it was you who left the door to your lab open, Vlad. You wanted me to become what I am now. You _knew _Danny and I would want to investigate...and you got one of us." The girl looked away.

"Do you want me to take those powers away?"

Stephanie slowly lifted her head to face her uncle once more. That's exactly what she wanted. She wanted the powers gone, the threat gone, everything. She wanted to be normal for her friend's sake.

"Is it possible?" she whispered.

"Of course." Vlad smiled maniacally. "I can do it, dearest Stephanie. I can make that pain go away..."--Vlad placed his hands on Stephanie's shoulders comfortingly--"...forever." He walked away. "But, those powers that you have gained will go to me and I shall be the strongest."

"NO!" Stephanie shouted. "That will only make things worse! I won't do it!"

"How about a little persuasion?"

Stephanie and Vlad heard footsteps on the stairs. Vlad smirked.

"Right on time," he said.

"Steph? You down here?"

Stephanie gasped in fright and realization. "Danny," she breathed. Right as Danny appeared at the bottom of the stairs, Vlad formed a pinkish bubble around him. "Wait!"

"Stephanie!" Danny cried.

"Is that enough persuasion for you, my dear?" Vlad asked. Stephanie's face expressed pain as she looked between her friend and uncle. "Or must I do more?"

"Leave him alone!" Stephanie screamed, her eyes flashing dangerously. Danny and Vlad looked at her. "Don't touch Danny. You...you can take my powers. Just don't hurt him."

"Steph! No!" Danny pleaded, pounding his imprisonment.

"Finally," Vlad sighed. "Then follow me. We have work to do."

Stephanie lowered her head sadly. She should have known Vlad would do this to her, always manipulating her decisions in any given situation. Vlad rose into the air with Danny in the bubble still and flew out the ceiling. Reluctantly, Stephanie followed him...flying for the last time.

* * *

**A/N: I thought that last part sounded a little like "The Little Mermaid", don't you think? I was thinking that to myself and thought it was pretty funny how that turned out...hoped you like this chapter and we'll see how quickly I can wrap this story up:) Thanks to all my AWESOME reviewers!**


End file.
